Goober's Customer Service Secrets

"I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen" --- Ernest Hemmingway

George Lindsey, the actor who played the character Goober Pyle on the Andy Griffith Show, died yesterday at the age of 83. His character took over the position of Mayberry's gas station attendant after Gomer Pyle joined the Marines. Lindsey went on to play the same character on the hit show Hee Haw, and in stand-up comedy shows for many years. While loved for his innocence and simplicity, leaders can learn a great deal from how Goober ran his station.

Three Goober traits we can adopt today:

1.) First, Goober never formed an opinion about a person until he really had a chance to know him or her. He always listened, I mean really listened, to what the customer had to say before responding. Of course Goober would listen with his mouth open in child-like anticipation, but he still listened. When we do the same (minus the open mouth), we not only hear what the customers want, need, are complaining about, etc., but we see how they say it. We can witness in their body language more of what they are trying to communicate. Goober could sense what the customer was needing and addressed those needs.

2.) Next, Goober was passionate about fixing the problem. He worked relentlessly trying to get the car running, fix the flat, provide alternative transportation, and anything and everything else that would help to make the customer happy. Goober knew his job and not only wanted to provide satisfaction to his customers, but he would make sure that if he found another problem not addressed by the customer, he would fix that too. He always knew that if the customer was happy, then he and the town of Mayberry were happy.

3.) Finally, Goober knew that he knew when a project was right. His standards were often above the customer's and he stubbornly stood his ground when it came to making a repair or pumping gas. Goober's confidence in his abilities spilled over to the service he provided for his customers. He doggedly worked until the vehicle purred like a kitten even if the customer didn't bring the vehicle in for that kind of treatment. Goober's pride in his workmanship didn't allow for him to cut corners or skip over quality for the sake of quantity. This led him to develop a reputation for being perfectionist and in more than one episode caused Andy Griffith to recommend Goober to a customer as the greatest mechanic around.

Zimmerman and the Stanley Cup

"Confrontation is not a dirty word. Sometimes it is the best kind of journalism as long as you don't confront people just for the sake of a confrontation." --- Don Hewitt

The Zimmerman case is obviously tragic. It is difficult to see any good that will come from it from our vantage point. The ripping apart of community it is causing in this part of Florida may take years to heal and will probably get worse before it gets better. The good news is that the 911 released tapes are shedding light on what the difference is between good and bad confrontation, and how far can or should a confrontation go.

Another example of confrontation is in the sporting world. With the Stanley Cup playoffs under way, it is seen as the norm to have two hockey players fighting on the ice. In other words, that could be seen as "good" confrontation, just like in tackling in football and take-downs in amateur wrestling.

But what about in business? Is there such a thing as good confrontation? Can a business leader intentionally invoke confrontation with team members? Is this a healthy management style?

Here are three occasions when the answer to that question is yes:

1.) Confront a team member immediately when it is doubtful that they've been completely honest with you. This is where things get a little slippery. When you discover that an employee is not being completely honest with you, then you should first give them an opportunity to explain. I've always said that if you took the time, money, and energy to hire that person, then you obviously believe they are of good character. Perhaps this instance is a misunderstanding or could even be a lapse in good judgement on the part of the employee. Either way, this calls for good confrontation. Your employee needs to own up to the dishonesty and make things right. Let them know that you believe that their "yes" is their yes and their "no" is their no. They should be using winning words at all times, which includes being honest without having to begin the conversation with "honestly." Do not let this incident just work itself out--- it won't! Address dishonesty the very moment it is discovered.

2.) Confront a team member immediately when you notice that their performance is slipping. Do not excuse this behavior and hope it will get better. The employee needs to own up to why they are not performing up the level you know they are capable of. You may uncover some personal issues or it may be that they are unhappy with a recent act on your part, but didn't want to share it with you. Take time to find out why. If it is a problem at home such as a result of domestic violence, take the time to learn how you can help that person. It is to your benefit as well as theirs to find out and resolve the issue.

3.) Confront a team member immediately when you suspect that they've not been loyal to you or the business by insulting customers or stealing. Both cases are cause for dismissal, but I suggest that you find out the circumstances first so that you can make things right for the customer and take any legal action if needed. Unfortunately, even after doing all the screening, all the background checks, all the reference calling and all the interviews, an employee may still hurt your business by stealing from the company or doing some kind of harm to the business by insulting or somehow scaring customers away. This is a cancer that needs to be dealt with right away. Termination is the only option. Yes, you can try to help this person, but not while they are still employed. Their character flaw is costing you and you should not have to put up with it. After determining what happened, take what legal action is necessary and have this person removed from the business.

The Madness of it All

"A leader is one who, out of madness or goodness, volunteers to take upon himself the woe of the people. There are few men so foolish, hence the erratic quality of leadership in the world." --- John Updike

I recently spoke with a business leader who was offered a great sum of money to sell his business. This leader is facing quite a few challenges in regard to employee relations and to him the offer is looking quite appealing. He told me, "I must be mad to continue doing what I'm doing with the problems I'm facing, but I just find it hard to let it all go."

We're all like that in some respects. We build our business, nurture it, give it all the right nutrients for growth, so that when an opportunity arises, we find it difficult to part with it. Some leaders, like the one I spoke with, would not even entertain letting the business go if they didn't have to deal with petty employee issues all the time. That business leader also shared with me that he feels like the business family he thought he had is turning their backs on him.

Like the elimination process of the current March Madness basketball tournament, leading employees requires a process of elimination that include three key areas:

1.) Eliminate indecision- Empower your team members to make decisions on their own. This does two things: it frees up your time to oversee the picture and it instills trust and confidence into your employees. Indecision stagnates your business and turns your employees into robots. You didn't hire robots. You hired walking, talking, thinking, creative humans. Empower them to be human. Their trust in you will increase and their sense of ownership will give them confidence to give only their very best.

2.) Eliminate the need to litigate- Use the tools found here and at our site to protect you and your business. Remember to put in place good communication tools such as job descriptions, employee handbook, and mission statement to communicate what is expected of each employee and how their job contributes to the success of all.

3.) Eliminate rights- This is a controversial one, but is needed in today's business environment. Although we want to empower team members and give them the freedom to make mistakes, that doesn't mean that they own the farm. Occasionally, some business leaders still need to let employees know who the boss is and that "if the employee doesn't work, he doesn't eat." Some employees have a sense of entitlement that the employer owes them and that they should get paid for just showing up. Obviously, this person should have been weeded out during the interviewing stage, but if some have slipped by, it is time to let them know that their right is to give an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. If a sit-down is needed, have someone else present with you and inform the employee that they might not fit into your organization unless some things change. For most of these employees, a simple chat will either correct the situation or send them packing.

Knowledge Store

>People Side of Business Resources Here

Trade Shows 101

If you’ve ever worked a trade show, you know the challenges can be endless. From reserving floor/booth space, to organizing help, scheduling meetings, ordering promotional items, and advertising location. These all can take a toll on a business and its team. One of the best ways to begin a trade show event is to look at it as an architect or a building contractor would when designing or building a home--- from the ground up.

I’ve worked trade shows before and I notice that there is always one or two booths where attendees tend to gather near the end of a show day. They don’t necessarily go there because they are interested in the vendor’s products or services. No, they go there to give their pups a rest. I’m talking about their sore, tired feet. These folks are standing in that particular booth space because that business is using comfortable flooring. The attendees are enjoying a cushy comfort. They recognize that a good floor helps to cut down on fatigue for those tending the booth.

Since we are beginning at the floor, the smart players will include their company logo on the flooring because they know that not every attendee is looking up and around. In fact, studies show that as the body gets tired, we tend to look down more often. Why not take advantage of a captured audience and have your flooring imprinted with your logo or other company information. We still do trade shows for exposure, advertising, and getting noticed, right? Take advantage of all of your booth materials and place your name and logo so all eyes can find you. Remember, begin at the floor, and then build upward. If your event takes you outside, place your name and logo on the canopy of your booth. Always be thinking about every marketing angle when it comes to trade shows.

Lessons from Lindsay Lohan

"Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion." --- Jim Rohn


Believing that the employer has a responsibility for its employees is step one toward building a great team. Responsibility however, should not be translating into hand-holding and pampering of employees, but creating a safe working environment with fair pay and benefits, and an opportunity to grow with the company.

That is a broad, general description that doesn't include other factors that come from the heart of a business leader such as caring for a team member injured on the job (above what is required by Uncle Sam), and celebrating with an employee the birth of a child. These fall under the term, "responsibility."

There is, on occasion, where an employee might take advantage of the employer's responsibility. Those are rare, but when it does happen, the employer should know when to part ways with that team member. In other words, it is okay to cut the cord... cut bait and move on...okay, I'll say it: fire them.

When faced with a difficult employee that wants to continue in a pattern of behavior that is unhealthy for both the employee and the business, there are three things you should do:

1.) Right the situation- Use all means possible to salvage the difficult employee. Although this sounds counter-productive, remember that you put a lot of time, energy, and money into bringing this person on board. You obviously believed in him or her, so there must be something there that you want to hold onto. Do all you can to keep or make that person whole again. If, as in the situation with Lindsay Lohan, the team member has a problem with addiction or troubled behavior, send him or her to your EAP or offer other services that might be available from your insurance provider. Allow them time off for recovery. If your company can afford it, do it with pay. Also, be on the lookout for domestic violence situations. If this person is a victim, be sensitive to his or her needs and provide the right resources. We offer a domestic violence policy for free to be included in your employee handbook. Also, take this quick READ

2.) Right now, right away- If you find that you cannot or don't want to try anymore with this person, severe the relationship. Fire him or her. Do it now. If you've tried to salvage this person, stretching yourself to the limit to provide resources in the form of medical help, financial assistance, more training, etc, then you've down all you can do. Do not continue to baby this employee. The rest of the team members are watching and they know what is going on. This person is dragging down the team. When you've made your decision to let him or her go, don't dance around it. Do it right away, and not halfway. Be sure to have someone present with you and do offer severance if you can.

3.) Right down everything- Okay, the grammar isn't correct, but it fit the sequence. The point is to document, document, document. Write down every thing that has transpired regarding this employee. Be sure to include time and dates and the names of any witnesses that may have been present. Your only defense if you terminate this employee, is to have a running record of everything. No special forms are needed. A simple legal pad and pen should do the trick.

You don't need to have a repeat offender in your midst. Do all you can, but don't be afraid to fire someone. Most of the time, when a business leader lets a problem team member go, the other team members get stronger. They were waiting for you to make a move.

Behind Motivation

"Start with good people, lay out the rules, communicate with your employees, motivate them and reward them. If you do all those things effectively, you can't miss." --- Lee Iacocca

There is nothing more frustrating in business than to have a talented, unmotivated employee. Nothing is more detrimental to your business either. An employee that is not motivated will eventually bring down other team members working close by.
Its been said that it is easier for someone on the floor to pull down someone standing on a chair than it is the other way around.

But, a leader that creates an environment where the vision and purpose of the business, as well as the work itself, oozes with a culture of motivation will find strength in numbers. The magical motivational factor will begin to take shape.

There are many factors that can be applied when embarking on developing a culture of motivation. Here are three that can be implemented immediately:

1.) Tell the story. We've listened to leaders complain about this employee or that one that is just not giving their all. We've heard, "They don't seem motivated and don't care about the business like I do." This is usually true and it is no wonder, they don't have much to get excited about when the leader isn't communicating what there is to get excited about. True, you are motivated and on fire to make the business extremely successful, but your team members have no clue what you are feeling. They haven't heard the war stories of how much blood, sweat, and tears came out of you to get the business where it is today. Take the time to tell your story. Let them know how passionate you are about the business because of where you see the business going. Believe me, they do not know.

2.) Show the way. After you've painted a picture of where you've been and how you feel, now show them where they are going. Let them know repeatedly the destination of the journey as well as the course that will be taken to get there. If you don't, your team members are floundering in the water and after a while they lose steam. To keep them motivated, constantly communicate to them where you are taking them and remind them that they are in the driver's seat as well.

3.) Celebrate the journey. Company parties shouldn't be just for the major holidays. Celebrate as many successes in the company as possible. Celebrate the lives of your team members. If an employee closes a sale, recognize it and celebrate it. If an employee has a baby, celebrate it. If a project is completed on time, a customer sends in a note of appreciation, the leaking faucet in the bathroom gets repaired--- CELEBRATE!

Adopt these three right way and watch the culture begin to change. You are on your way to a more motivated workforce.